9 Foot Dinghy on 22 Cruiser

gwwalsh · Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 33 Photos: C-Gnome

Has anyone tried a West Marine HP275 - 9 foot dinghy on a 22 cruiser cabin top?

thataway · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:36 am Post subject:

I have used a Hypalon equivilant of this boat (HP floor, slightly longer) on the Tom Cat--and it should work fine. Beam is fairly narrow, and weight is light. The ends may stick over, but no major issues with that.

colobear · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:42 am Post subject:

We have an 8' West Marine 260 dinghy on the cabin top of C-Cakes and it is a pretty tight fit. I have about an inch or less clearance between the legs of the radar arch, a little more between the top of the dinghy and the underside of the arch. The "torpedo tubes" of the side chambers extend out over the cockpit about a foot and there is not too much room between them and the top of the canvas when erected. The bow of the dinghy is a few inches aft of the brow but not many, depending on how you place the dinghy.

Two other factors to consider are the weight of the dinghy, can you get it up to the roof moderately easily, and...I just considered this while answering your post....the available space for launching the dinghy. What I mean is standing room while you maneuver the dinghy onto and off of the cabin top. If you do not have a radar arch it is a little moot but with an arch you'd be pretty far out on the bow to get the dinghy clear of the arch.

All in all the 275 seems a little too big, at least for me to handle.

thataway · Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:02 pm Post subject:

The West Marine 275 HP weight is about 50 lbs the larger 310 is closer to 60 lbs. Even with our bad backs, we can get these dinghies easily on the top of the C Dory (although I now have a Davit hoist) what we have done, is I go foreward, and Marie is aft on the side deck. I bring the bow up with the painter. Marie has one hand on the cabin top railing, and then grabs the boat as low as she can by the life line on the side of the inflatable. As she pulls up, I grab the boat even lower than she has it, and usually we can easily just stand the boat up on its "tail" and slide it up over the cabin top athwartships. Then we spin it around, turn it over or what ever we want to do with it. Granted we don't have a radar arch. I would think that the radar arch would give you a better hand hold. If you are queezy about standing on the narrow side decks, then I could see a problem. We pedistal mount the radar, and the inflatable will fit over it upside down. No problem with the inflatable extending over the front or back of the cabin top. We lash the inflatable in place using the hand rails. Launching is a one person event--just slide the boat over, tie the painter to the top railing with enough slack and ease the boat into the water. At times we deflate the boat and carry it on top (including when towing behind the truck). We have never felt that the 50 or so lbs has been a problem with stability. Often the radar arches, and radar domes etc equal this much weight.

gwwalsh · Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 33 Photos: C-Gnome

Thanks for the good words of advice and encouragement, especially the detailed account of a launching method. Once again the C-Brats members have proven to be a wonderful group. Cannot wait to meet some of you when we get the C-Gnome on the water!

- Gerry & Cindy Walsh